A local train using the Kiha 40 series 47 diesel train that passes over the Sogogawa Bridge with the Sea of Japan in the background between Susa Station and Udago Station on the JR West Sanin Main Line. Photo by MaedaAkihiko / Source: Wikipedia
A local railway line is experiencing declining ridership, a so-called “loss-making local line.” Our focus is on the JR San’in Line, which runs through northern Hyogo Prefecture.
While people say “railways are necessary,” the reality is that few people actually ride them. We interviewed residents about their true feelings and the region that chose to “abolish the line.”
As of October 2025, the JR San’in Line section we interviewed, “Kinosaki Onsen Station to Hamasaki Station,” is still operating at a loss.
